June Book Report
Doppia Press
What is the number one thing that all self-published authors are advised to do?
Build your author platform!
Grow your email list!
For fiction writers seeking traditional publishing, it’s not as big a deal. But for indie authors, and for nonfiction writers seeking to publish traditionally, an author platform is almost a requirement. Now, an author platform, at a minimum, includes a website, social media presence, and newsletter. The first two are easy to understand. But a newsletter?
How are authors supposed to grow an email list? It’s easier said than done.
Two and a half years ago, as I prepared to publish Tail of Humanity, I attended a workshop about author newsletters. The presenter shared her own newsletter on an app called Substack, a free, new-to-me site that supports subscription-based content with the option of monetizing all or some posts.
At the time, I’d been uncertain how to launch a newsletter, how to format it, how to find readers, or what to write about each month. But I dove in and created a Substack account. I imported my thirteen newsletter subscriber emails (two of which were my own!) from my website and published my first Kennel Club newsletter in December 2022. Using the platform, I found it super easy and kinda fun!
I posted monthly newsletters for seven months but felt as if the gap between posts was too long. So I switched to weekly posts. By December 2023, a year after starting the Kennel Club, I had 60 subscribers.
Is 60 subscribers a lot? Well, no, not really. But it was 362% more than I started with….
Beyond friends and family
And were these 60 subscribers mostly friends or family? Yep, probably 75% of them. Growing a newsletter audience, when writing’s not a full-time job with a dedicated growth plan, can be tough.
But there are resources to help – services that help authors increase their mailing list. Written Word Media and CraveBooks are both companies that run “subscriber surge” promos where readers agree to join an author’s email list in exchange for a chance to win a free book or books. When it came time to prepare for the launch of Shadows on the Heart, I used a few promos like these to gain new readers. In fact, some of you currently reading came to me from a giveaway contest!
There’s always a risk, after gaining new readers through contests or giveaways, that they’ll unsubscribe. They’ll receive a few Kennel Clubs and realize my writing isn’t what they’re interested in. Or perhaps my way of thinking isn’t aligned with theirs.
Which is totally okay. I’m not everyone’s cup of tea, and in fact can be hard to handle:
After running a few giveaways this spring, my Kennel Club email list sits at 186. At one point, I had 202 subscribers. Those who dropped off the list are simply not my readers, so I don’t bemoan their loss. No. In fact, I appreciate that we all have different tastes and reading preferences. And I heartily thank those who remain a part of the Kennel Club.
Monetization
I’ve mentioned previously I’m a terrible capitalist. Money doesn’t motivate me. Sure, I like it and like to have it. But as long as I have a roof over my head, real food in my belly, and friends and family around me, I don’t need or want more.
But Substack doesn’t know that. It’s constantly trying to get me to monetize my newsletter. The app’s default is to post for paid subscribers only, so every week I have to click out of the default “paid subscribers only” setting to allow anyone to read my post.
Many writers on Substack paywall content, but I don’t. I have a voluntary paid option, to which some have subscribed and for which I am heartily thankful, but most of my readers aren’t paid subscribers.
I’ve stated repeatedly that I won’t paywall content. Honestly, I want as many people as possible to read my work. And I want readers to be able to share my work with friends and family.
Plus, while I’m very good about writing weekly posts, enjoy writing them, and find most entertaining, some of them – confession time – are written quickly. Kennel Club posts aren’t necessarily my most polished pieces but are simply a way to keep readers engaged. Kennel Clubs provide a taste of who I am and the things that matter to me, the stories I tell and the things in life that make me laugh or cry or shake my head in disbelief.
Also, Substack isn’t my main focus. Aside from writing fiction, I’m a grant pro (speaking at the national GrantSummit conference this fall!) with a busy consultancy business. The paid work will necessarily take precedence over my author activities, so there will be times when I don’t have as much time to put into the Kennel Club.
Denied, again
Speaking of grants, my most recent application to the local community arts foundation was unsuccessful. Again.
The goal of the community arts funding is to fund individual or group projects that provide opportunities for community engagement and support the artistic development of local artists.
I’d asked for funding to produce an audiobook of Shadows using local actors and resources. My proposal ticked the boxes of providing work to community artists and increasing accessibility for the visually impaired, and I thought that this one might appeal to the reviewers.
No such luck.
I don’t know what they want to fund. Every year I debate applying, wind up doing so, and then get declined. The grant coordinator tells me that writers are tough to fund and that visual or performing arts are much easier to support.
There’s always next year, but now I need to find a way to get an audiobook published. Given costs, it probably won’t be produced locally. I’ll keep you updated.
Reviews!!!!
I’ve heard from so many of you. You love Shadows!
But despite the love, I’ve received only one review on Amazon. Aside from a note from my cousin (Author is a fun and compelling ride – huh?), there’s only one other review on Amazon, and that came in last weekend.
If you want to support my author journey and sales of Shadows, please leave a review on Amazon. It helps with advertising and marketing and increases visibility for readers.
Good reviews are marketing gold to indie authors, and I need some gold!
Sales
I don’t know if this is a milestone for other authors or not, but I’m approaching 1,000 total book sales on Amazon over the past two years (data doesn’t account for non-Amazon sales) and expect to get there in July.
In April 2025, I sold 60 books, or nearly 2 per day, a rate higher than my typical 1 per day until that point. In May sales slowed to 45 books, a decline which could definitely be attributed to the fact that my marketing efforts dropped off a cliff as I traveled and became busy with work.
Shadows on the Heart
I’ve sold 97 copies of Shadows on Amazon. More than half occurred during the 99-cent pre-launch sales window, which means that sales are less than one copy per day since then. Reviews would help, so if you’re still on the fence, jump off and leave a review!
Tail of Humanity
Sales of my first novel, Tail of Humanity, are steady and averaging more than 1 copy sold per day. I love that readers are continuing to discover Tail.
One recent reader, Luis, left this five-star review on Amazon in March titled: highly recommend, beautifully narrated from a unique perspective. He wrote: “great book, perfect for dog lovers. I couldn't put it down until I was done.”
Updates
Book readings!
I’ll be contacting local bookshops and libraries this month to schedule author readings throughout the region. I haven’t done anything like this in the past, except for my wonderful launch of Shadows in April. But it’s a great way to engage community members, increase local sales and build a local readership. And for someone who spends most of her time solo and tucked away in front of a computer, it forces me to be social!
BOUNCE
I’ve gone back to this work-in-progress. While still planning my Canadian murder mystery series, I’m not giving up on BOUNCE. I submitted yet another chapter to the Scribblers, and it continues to receive promising feedback. I need to re-structure and align initial chapters so that as I write the second two-thirds, the foundation is in place. It’s requiring me to think beyond my typical pantser ways and become a plotter, at least for a little while.
Until next week, readers. And for those of you who haven’t yet picked up a copy of Shadows, it’s being featured in a special Giveaway. One winner will receive fifteen new eBooks and a brand new Kindle. The contest can be viewed here.
Congratulations on all your sales! And thank you for the inside look at your process. The writing part is much more fun, but the marketing piece so important. Hard to balance both. 👏👏👏